Achillea plant named ‘Gipi Whit’

ABSTRACT

An  achillea  plant particularly distinguished by numerous small, while, double flowers, medium green foliage with narrow leaves, a compact, low-spreading and mounding habit, vigorous with abundant branching, immature flowering stems that obscure the mature stems with spent flowers and good outdoor performance with good heat tolerance, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Achillea ptarmica L.

Variety denomination: ‘Gipi Whit’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of achilea,botanically known as Achillea ptarmica L. and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Gipi Whit’. Seed of the achillea variety ‘The Pearl’(unpatented) which is an open-pollinated, seed propagated variety wassown in April 2003 and grown in Gilroy, Calif. in an evaluation field. Asingle plant selection was made in August 2003 from the resulting plantsand asexually propagated.

The new cultivar was created in August 2003 in Gilroy, Calif. and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in Gilroy, Calif. and Moncarapacho, Portugal over a two-yearperiod. The plant has also been trialed at Hillscheid, Germany. Thepresent invention has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for in Canadaon Oct. 17, 2005 and with the European Union on Oct. 14, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Numerous small, white, double flowers;    -   2. Medium green foliage with narrow leaves;    -   3. A compact, low-spreading and mounding habit;    -   4. Vigorous with abundant branching;    -   5. Immature flowering stems that obscure the mature stems with        spent flowers; and    -   6. Good outdoor performance with good heat tolerance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new achillea plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage of theplant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures. The photos are of plants grown ina greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany in a Spring trial setting.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of a portion of the plant including blooms andfoliage of a 16-week-old plant.

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit, including buds and foliage of a10-week-old plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Gipi Whit’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 7- to 8-week-oldplants, pinched once, and grown in 12-cm pots in a greenhouse inHillscheid, Germany in July and August 2005. Observations were made inmid-May 2005. Color readings were taken in the greenhouse in mid-May2005 under natural light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S.Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS) (2001edition).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Asteraceae.        -   Botanical.—Achillea ptarmica L.        -   Common name.—Sneezeweed or sneezewort.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parent.—‘The Pearl’, a white-flowered, seed-propagated,            open-pollinated variety (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Form and habit.—Spreading to decumbent; the immature            flowering stems obscure the mature stems with spent flowers,            thus reducing the time needed to remove any visible spent            flowers.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Compact and free-branching            Height (measured from the top of the soil): 15 cm to 21 cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—35 cm to 40 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—12 weeks for a            12-cm pot in the Spring.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in mixed container plantings            and as bedding plants.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—21 to 24 days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching.-   Stems:    -   -   Number of branches per plant.—35 to 50.        -   Length (of basal branches)—22 cm to 27 cm.        -   Diameter (measured from the midpoint).—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 145A.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent; soft hair on immature stems and sparse            hair on mature stems.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Simple and alternate; partly appearing as            whorls.        -   Immature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 143A. Lower            surface: RHS 143B.        -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137B. Lower surface:            Between RHS 137B and RHS 143B. Length: 2.8 cm to 3.5 cm.            Width: 0.5 cm to 0.7 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate. Texture: Upper surface is            slightly glossy and sparsely pubescent (with no to sparse            hair) and lower surface is pubescent.        -   Petioles.—None, leaves are sessile.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Round and somewhat flattened.        -   Length.—0.4 cm.        -   Diameter (horizontal).—0.6 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 145B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—A capitulum (composite-type); solitary inflorescences            emerge from the leaf axils at the upper nodes.        -   Blooming habit.—Continuously flowers from the Spring through            the Fall.        -   Number of inflorescences per stem.—10 to 12.        -   Lastingness of the individual blooms on the plant.—3-weeks            or greater, depending on humidity, temperature and light.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—1.8 cm.        -   Vertical diameter of inflorescence.—0.9 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—0.4 cm to 0.5 cm.        -   Disc floret.—Quantity (per inflorescence): 25 to 30. Shape:            5-lobed and narrow funnel-shaped. Tube color (closed): RHS            150D (greenish-yellow). Tube color (mature): RHS 4D            (cream-yellow). Length: 0.3 cm. Diameter (at apex): 0.15 cm.            Apex: Broadly acute. Apex color: RHS 2D (pale yellow). Base:            Fused.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity (per Inflorescence): 50 to 70. Shape:            Lanceolate. Color (immature and mature): Upper surface: Pure            white, whiter than RHS 155D. Lower surface: RHS 155D            (white). Length: 0.6 cm. Width: 0.2 cm. Apex: Broadly acute.            Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth and papillose.        -   Penduncle.—Color: RHS 143C. Length: 2.0 cm to 5.0 cm.            Diameter: 0.2 cm. Texture: Weakly pubescent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Location: Present on disc florets only. Stamen            quantity: One per floret. Filament: Color: RHS 150D. Length:            0.2 cm. Diameter: 0.015 cm. Anther: Pollen color: RHS 9A.            Pollen amount: Moderate.        -   Gynoecium.—Location: Present on ray florets only. Quantity:            One per floret, 2-lobed. Pistil length: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.            Stigma: Color: RHS 151B, translucent. Style: Length: About            0.4 cm. Diameter: About 0.025 cm. Color: RHS 151B            translucent, but lighter.-   Fruit/Seed set: None observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Has not been evaluated.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Gipi White’ differs from the parent ‘The Pearl’ (unpatented), in that‘Gipi Whit’ has a more free-branching, spreading and mounding planthabit, while ‘The Pearl’ has upright-directed stems with fewer branches,is taller and is more recommended for use as a cut flower than ‘GipiWhit’.

‘Gipi Whit’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Ballerina’(unpatented), in that ‘Gipi Whit’ has a more free-branching and moundingplant habit than ‘Ballerina’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of achillea plant as shown and describedherein.